Mania
by ThornManiaLilyCharliZorianna
Summary: Joker and Harley meet a strange teen at a robbery. She seems unafraid, and insane in her own right. Does Joker have a new apprentice? Possible Robin/OC if I don't change the storyline... READ & REVIEW!
1. Where's My Bag!

**Short beginning to a good story. *Edited version*

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**Chapter 1**

It all started simple. It always does.

Joker and Harley were robbing a bank, and holding hostages. Two were dead with grotesque smiles stretched on their faces, when a girl walked in from a back door. No one had noticed her until she started talking. Then they saw why they hadn't noticed her.

She was tall and built like a gymnast, and probably no more than 17. She was pure white skinned with blood red lips. Her violet eyes gleamed mischievously. Above the porcelain figure, however, her long hair was a neon green with black streaks. It stuck up in every angle, like she had put her finger in a socket. Her outfit looked like she had jumped in a coloring vat.

"Edie, where's my bag?"

A female teller with purple streaks in her hair looked afraid, "Mania….." She said warily.

"There it is!" The girl said, oblivious to the hold up. She reached behind a teller station and pulled up what looked like a purple duffel bag. She headed for the door, only to be stopped by a large goon. She looked at him like she hadn't seen him before.

"Who're you? Frankenstein?"

The answer came from behind her, "The question is, who are you?"

She turned, "People call me Mania."

"Interesting… kid. You some kind of admirer?"

"No, but you know, with some surgery, you might actually pass as a clown!" She smiled, her grin a near replica of Joker's, then catapulted off floor, landing on the goon's shoulders. The girl stuck her tongue out at Joker and jumped out the window above the door. The goon stuck his head outside, but she had disappeared.

Joker grabbed Edie by her collar, "Who was that?"

"M-Mania?"

"Yes, the brat!"

"H-her name's Mania Psyche Fortuna…..S-She lives at St. Mary's."

Joker dropped the woman, "Let's go boys and girls. We gotta kid to catch!"

And they were gone.


	2. Impressed?

***Edited Version***

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**Chapter 2**

On the street straight down from Arkham, there is a large building with a tall fence. The building itself was painted white, and had a neat trimmed lawn. The fence was electrified.

It's name is St. Mary's Asylum for the Young.

Joker and Harley entered the building in broad daylight. All it took was a little Joker Gas too.

They walked down the hall to a room marked with a name.

M. Fortuna

The door had a sign that read: DO NOT ENTER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

"From the looks of it, they pay attention, puddin'. Should we?" Harley asked, looking around the hallway. It seemed to her that everyone kept a clear distance from the room. That might've just been her and Joker though.

"No, Harley girl. We must meet her."

"But, why?" She whined.

"She might be useful! Now let's go!"

They went in. The girl's room might have belonged to any braniac, except for the areas that belonged to an asylum. Unlike the other, clean, white rooms, this room had been splashed with paint. Large blotches covered the walls, like the paint was straight from the can. Books on every subject littered the bed, and notebooks crammed with formulas and extra pages covered the floor. Handmade maps of various ventilation systems were tacked to the walls. Harley picked up a book, which read "Greek Psychopaths and their stories."

"Amazing!" Joker exclaimed, "This girl has maps on every major bank, lab, and museum in Gotham!"

He walked to the desk. Around it were various explosion marks on the walls. A chunk of the chair was dissolved. Multiple beakers filled with multi-colored substances boiled on the desk. Formulas were written on the wall above the desk. The purple bag laid next to the desk, multiple of its contents scattered around it.

"Impressed?" Came a voice. Harley jumped.

The girl sat on a multi-colored homemade pet bed. She seemed to blend into the nightmare. Her hair stuck up in points, and she wore what looked like a striped straitjacket with unfastened arms and a ragged red and black skirt.

"Welcome to St. Mary's, the greatest juvenile freak show ever."

She pulled two folders out from underneath her bed and tossed them towards the villains. Then she leaned back and steepled her fingers.

"These are yours. I have files on every psycho in this town. You two were…..interesting to keep up with."

Her violet eyes glinted, then she closed her eyes, relaxing into the pet bed, "Résumé is on the desk."

They turned. A file marked "Mania Psyche Fortuna" had appeared on the desk. Harley picked it up. The first page looked like a patient form with crude writing on it:

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Patient: Mania Psyche Fortuna (Supposed name; Parents name unknown.)

Parents: Deceased; Suspected Criminals

DOB: April 1

House of Residence: St. Mary's Asylum for the Young; Gotham

Psychology: Suffers from hallucinations; mentally unstable; mood swings; Psychotic tendencies

Treatments: Electric Shock Therapy

**Problems: Chemical Tests have turned patient's hair green and black; white skin; blood-red lips**

**Advances: Chemistry; Gym; Greek Mythology**

**Hobbies: Gymnastics; Karate; Boxing**

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The rest of the pages were what looked like an extensive Juvenile Hall record. Some of the offences were listed below the patient form:

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JV Record: Burned down previous school; 3 dead; multiple injured; Threatening; Illegal Chemical making; Stole 2 tiger cubs (Unconfirmed)

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"So," Mania said, appearing behind them, "Do I pass?"


	3. Thank God for Jawbreakers

***Edited Version***

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**Chapter 3**

Mania sat in the back of Joker's car, staring at the people who flew by, her green and black hair whipping behind her. She fished through the purple bag and pulled out a whet looked like a folded rifle. She began humming to herself as she unfolded it. It was a folding paintball gun. She leaned over the trunk and began pelting people with paintballs.

"You don't seem to scared, kid."

"Whazzat?" Mania whipped her head around.

"Of us." Joker said.

"Oh!" She folded up the paintball gun, having officially run out of paintballs, "Well, with my life, you don't get scared too easily."

"Didja' eva' moider someone?" Harley piped from her spot behind the wheel.

"Maybe a few." She smiled devilishly, "Anyway, you wanna hear my life story. I was just a kid with criminal parents, and a bad record. Parents get killed. Bada Bing Bada Boom, here I am with a few cuts and bruises."

She rolled up her sleeves. Cuts ran up to her elbows. Permanent reminders of attempted suicide.

Mania laughed, tracing her scars, "I love these things! Scares off unwanted visitors. You know, 'Normal' people," She air-quoted 'Normal'.

"Like my shrink. Scared to death of me! Whatta wimp! So maybe I came at her with a knife or something once or twice! What's the difference?" She fell back in her seat.

Joker grinned, "_Perfect!"_ He thought as the girl ranted.

Suddenly, Mania glanced out the widow and scrambled for her bag. She fished through her bag and pulled out a spherical item, "Thank God for Jawbreakers."

She jammed it into the now unfolded paintball gun and flipped over onto the trunk. With pinpoint accuracy, she beamed a woman in the skull with the Jawbreaker. Mania laughed uncontrollably, nearly losing the paintball gun.

"Who was that?"

"Who else?" She said between deep breaths, "My shrink!" She again fell back into uncontrolled laughter.


	4. Meet Ares and Hades

***Edited Version***

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**Chapter 4**

Soon, they reached a warehouse filled with props.

"Nice place." Mania surveyed the place, "For a warehouse it's kinda cozy."

She turned to them, and her face twitched. More remotely, a corner of her mouth twitched slightly, giving an impression of her smile wanting to get bigger.

She noticed the duo staring at her, "What?"

They looked away. Mania reached for and held a small clown pendant around her neck.

"Have ya seen my babies?" Harley piped.

"The hyenas?" Mania snorted, "Those tiny things?"

"They're pretty big, and they like meat!" Joker exclaimed, licking his lips. The two huge hyenas jumped up onto a pile of prop material.

Mania twitched again, and muttered, "Dang twitch."

She looked up and smiled, "Then I'm guessing you haven't met my boys."

She released a piercing whistle, and two hulking, four-legged creatures burst through the door.

"These are _my_ babies. Joker, Harley, meet Ares," She pointed to the smaller of the shadowy figures, "And Hades." She pointed to the larger.

The figures came out of the shadows. They were two huge tigers. Mania fake sniffled.

"I've had them since they were little. Very obedient."

Joker clapped as Harley and the hyenas retreated to a corner, "Very impressive! I can see that they like you, but now, it's time to sleep. Go pull up a prop and g'night!"

"I'm perfectly happy right there." She pointed to a spot next to a mountain of props.

Joker watched as she walked to the spot, followed by the two tigers. Once she made to lie down, Ares curled up at her head, and Hades at her feet. She soon was sleeping.

"She's perfect!" Joker exclaimed.

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A pale girl with long black spiky hair sat at a table in a large house.

"_Well, honey," The girl looked at the two adult figures, "You're failing all your classes, and in retaliation, you burn down your school! We have one thing to say…."_

_The girl looked up._

_Her parents smiled, "You did great! Our daughter on our road! We're so proud!"_

_The woman handed her a small box. She opened it. A small clown pendant lay on a silver string._

"_For you."_

_The girl giggled as the woman tied the string around her neck._

_The man handed her a box with the words: WARNING! CORROSIVE CHEMICALS!_

"_For your experiments."_

_The girl grinned widely, and her face twitched._

"_Our little Mania."_


	5. You Are A Terrible Liar

**Chapter 5**

Mania woke to arguing. She stretched and yawned, Hades and Ares snuggling closer, trying to get her to go back to sleep. Mania wouldn't have that. She wanted to know what the arguing was about. She stood quietly and climbed on top of a mountain of props.

"I want her out Mistah J!"

"Why? She's perfect!"

"That's why! She's _too _perfect!"

Mania had to laugh, they were arguing about _her! _It had been a long time since anyone had argued about her, unless it was medical related. Her laughing is what got her caught. She laughed too loud, and they heard her. Joker saw the girl.

"You little brat! Who taught you how do act when you're a guest?" He had made it up the mountain with amazing speed, grabbing her by the neck and tossing her down the pile. Hades and Ares carefully surrounded the girl, who growled slightly, rubbing her neck.

"_You _sir, have a greater changing mood than even myself, which is saying something. A little less fun though." She made a sarcastic frown, but laughed at the man's venomous glare, "I can practically see the smoke coming out of your ears."

The man charged at her, but stopped short of the growling tigers.

"Tsk. I wouldn't want you to become tiger meat, now would I? Ares, Hades, heel!"

The two roared at the man, but receded behind the girl. Suddenly Joker started laughing.

"You are something, little girl, but I will warn you, tick me off, and even your precious _pets _won't be able to save you."

She stood, grinning at Joker, and at Harley, who had recently come up behind him, a look of wonder and resentment on her face.

Joker simply stared at the girl, fairly positive she was perfect, and yet something nudged at the end of his scrambled brain, saying maybe there is something wrong here.

By now the girl had vanished, fishing through the props. Occasionally she would appear on a pile of props, before vanishing again.

"Ooooo! Stairs!" She vanished through a door on the far side of the warehouse. When the elder two reached the door, they found the two tigers in the way, chewing on something round and squishy, most likely meat. From where, they didn't know.

Mania sat on the roof, staring out at the city.

_"They seem nice,"_ Mania looked up at the girl that had appeared.

The girl wore a loose baggy t-shirt reading GOTHAM'S GIRL, and ragged jeans. The black high tops on her feet were worn down near to the sole, and her plain brown hair clung to her head, held down by a baseball hat. The girl's deep brown eyes looked slightly serious, and her mouth was a slight sarcastic smirk. Her skin was a dark tan. In essence, she was the exact opposite of Mania.

"They are."

_"You are a terrible liar."_

"I am not!"

_"Mania, don't kid yourself. I know you as well as anyone. I can tell when you're lying."_

"Anyways… Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be lurking somewhere dark and unfriendly?"

_"Thank you so much for the brilliant description of that place, though I would hardly call it dark. It's more pastels when you think about it…. Literally."_

"Back to the question at hand, w-"

_"I thought that was the question at hand."_

Mania put her head in her hands, "The question _before_ that!"

_"Fine. Jeez, and I thought _I_ was the serious one. I'm here because I think you're being stupid. While I may not be strong enough to do anything, I can voice my opinion, the same way I did when you got those."_ She pointed at Mania's arms.

"You can't do anything though, like you said, so why do you even bother?"

_"Mania, Mania, Mania," _She shook her head, _"We've been over this a million times. I have to bother because I am you and if you do something stupid, and die, I die too, which would really suck. Think about what I said? After all, I can tell if you don't. Tootles!"_

Mania lifted her head to glare at the girl, but all she glared at was open space, "I really hate it when she does that."

She turned back to the rooftop door, and headed towards it. As she did, a small voice spoke up in her mind, _I can hear you._

She blocked it out.


	6. Mattresses

Hey everyone! Ohmigod I am _soooooo_ sorry for taking this long, but I had writer's block, and then there wasn't any time to put anything up. And _then _I lost my story USB, but I found it! Here's the (uber-short) chapter 6 of Mania! Oh, P.S. I might take down the previous chapter as I think I'll probably change the story line. Tell me what you think!

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**_Chapter 6  
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Harley woke the next day to see Mania climbing a precariously tall pile of props. She stood, turning towards an unseen object. Both tigers circled the pile, keeping her safe in their own form. At the top, she grasped the metal support above her, pulling herself up. The two tigers found spots on the pile, staring up at their young master.

"Geronimo!"

She jumped off the bar, and Harley shut her eyes, fully expecting to hear the noise of the girl crumpling into the cement dozens of feet below her, but heard nothing. She opened her eyes to see Mania land on an enormous pile of mattresses, albeit less then gracefully.

With just a little left over resentment, she walked over, "Where did you get those?"

"Hm?" She looked down at the woman, "Ah! You're up! As to where I found these, you guys live in the _warehouse_ district. There's a big one a few blocks over, and it's filled to the brim with all these old mattresses!"

She slid down a makeshift slide of fallen off mattresses, and walked over.

Harley stared up at the massive pile, "Must've taken a long time!"

"I've been up for six hours. I don't sleep much. Besides, I have two wonderful sled dogs," She said perkily, pointing to the two tigers, who growled playfully, "Wanna try?"

"Yes!"

The two females pulled themselves up the mountain of props. Halfway up, Mania looked over and laughed.

"What?"

"You are not a morning person. You look terrible."

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

They reached the top, and jumped off onto the mattress pile. It slid and crumpled beneath them, sending the mattress they were on sliding to the floor. They tumbled off, laughing.

"Ahem."

They looked up, and Harley's grin faded. Joker stood above them, almost literally fuming.

"You two are going to lead the Bat here with all your annoying laughter!"

He roughly hauled Harley and Mania to their feet, shoving them into the prop pile. The tigers growled, and the largest took a menacing step forward.

Mania flipped to her feet, barely ducking the swing Joker took at her skull, and raced over to her two large pets.

"I'm okay! See?" She leaned closer, "C'mon guys. They got me a permanent reason to stay with you two, and I kinda like it here. Play nice."

They growled once more, but backed up.

She began to stand, but ducked down when a bullet buzzed past her ear, barely missing her skull.

"Hey! What the hell?"

"Don't act like you're the boss, girl. It could get you killed. Understand?"

"Yessir." The cold grin put even the girl on edge a little.

"Good." He laughed, "Now then, let's have a little day, and night, on the town!"


End file.
